Officials celebrate runway extension

Tuesday

Sep 24, 2013 at 9:16 PMSep 24, 2013 at 9:16 PM

By Scott Pukosspukos@messengerpostmedia.com

CANANDAIGUA — Sitting just behind a press conference tent Tuesday at the Canandaigua Airport was George Hamlin IV’s Cessna 421 Golden Eagle airplane. Hamlin said he’s been waiting since 1980 to fly down a 5,500-foot runway in Canandaigua, and now that day is officially here.

The $7.9 million construction project extended the airport’s main runway from 3,200 to 5,500 feet. The added runway space will allow larger and faster aircrafts — along with Hamlin’s Golden Eagle — to be able to successfully take off and land at the airport.

Ontario County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Executive Director Michael Manikowski, along with other members of the IDA, have long touted that the addition at the 2450 Brickyard Road facility will be a vital piece to the local economic development puzzle. Many speakers at Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the extension — including U.S. Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27), Canandaigua Town Supervisor Sam Casella and Ontario County Administrator John Garvey — echoed that point and added that with larger aircrafts coming to town, more business, and jobs, could follow.

“We’ve been working on the project for 16, 20, 30 years. It depends on how you count,” county IDA Chairman David Reh said of the long-held desire many present at the press conference had to see the airport renovations. Casella — who was a member of the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals and the Town Board at separate times throughout the process — noted that there were people against the expansion for various reasons.

Aside from extending the length of the main runway, the project also widened runways 13 through 31 by 25 feet. Additionally, a portion of Thomas Road was removed — turnaround areas were added to where the road used to run — to make way for the new portion of runway. Smaller items, such as lights, were also added.

Recently, the airport has received an influx of grants. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) awarded the facility $63,000 earlier this summer to fund an environmental study for a proposed aviation complex. Additionally, a $428,000 state grant was given to the airport for a fuel facility last week. Overall, the FAA funded close to 90 percent of the project — $7 million — according to an IDA statement.

Local companies that worked on the project include DiFiore Construction — the Rochester group that is also working on the current Main Street revamp in Canandaigua — along with JBS Dirt from Canastota, Madison County; The Dolomite Group, of Manchester; and O’Connell Electric, of Victor.